


A Man I Respect

by ren (renegadewriter)



Category: Daredevil (TV), The Defenders (Marvel TV)
Genre: Frank is angry, Gen, Karen isn't dealing, Major Spoilers, Post-Finale, finale, s01e08
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-21
Updated: 2017-08-21
Packaged: 2018-12-18 01:59:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11864283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/renegadewriter/pseuds/ren
Summary: Frank got word of what happened. He's not happy. Not one bit. He goes to Karen to get the whole story.





	A Man I Respect

**Author's Note:**

> I love the mutual respect Frank and Matt have for each other, both in the series and comics (though they also want to kill each other half the time). I could't stop thinking about how Frank would react.

Karen opened her apartment door with the same slowness she seemed to be moving in these days. The story Foggy and she had spun about why Matt wasn’t around didn’t sit well with her at all. It felt like more than a lie, like they were just sweeping Matt and everything he had ever done under a rug, like if he were a taint no one wanted to admit. Just the thought of that made rage and sorrow course through her and she threw her keys into the bowl next to her door with a snarl. 

 

“Bad time?” 

 

The voice in the darkness made Karen jump and reach for the nearest object to hurl. It took a second for her to recognize the tone. Deep with a drawl, heavy in confidence and violence. 

 

“Frank!?” She switched the light on, putting down the control she’d picked up as her weapon and quickly closing the door behind her. “What the hell!? You can’t keep appearing randomly in my apartment, you’re going to give me a heart attack!” She all but yelled at him. It helped, some. A bit of the anger she felt melted from her, but in its place came grief, causing her to choke the last words out. She slapped a hand over her mouth, trying to regain control of herself.

 

Frank Castle stood next to the window, well out of sight from the outside. The lights from the street gave him something to spot his prey with while he remained in shadow. He watched Karen’s angry motions and heard all he needed to know in her voice and expression. 

 

“So, it’s true.” His words were flat, but Karen could hear a hint of tightness in it. 

 

She sniffed once and took a deep breath. “What is?” She’d never been sure, in the end, about Matt and Frank’s relationship. The Punisher had always seemed tense around his blind lawyer, and Matt had been tight lipped about his encounters with him as his alter ego. 

 

Frank shifted his weight, taking a few slow steps toward her.

 

“I heard a story about a devil’s sacrifice. Was away on business, just arrived back yesterday and… _asked around_. Apparently, this devil went up against a shadow organization of some kind with three others.” Frank’s voice started to take on a threatening quality. “There were no innocent casualties, except one.”

 

“Frank-,”

  
“Haven’t heard anything about Murdock either. Coincidence?” 

 

“Stop it!” Karen shouted. “It’s clear you know about our mutual friend-,”

 

“Friend is a strong word.” Frank interrupted. 

 

Karen glared at him, in no mood for games. “Then why the hell do you care?” She hissed. 

 

For a moment there was silence. Frank stood in a relaxed and immovable posture, Karen tense and shaking. 

 

The silence seemed to stretch on, and Karen thought he would just turn and leave. She opened her mouth to say something when he beat her to it.

 

“I respected him. A hell lot. Pain in the ass that he was, he lived by what he preached and that, is something very few people are actually capable of doing. As much as I wanted to wring his neck, when I heard he was going up against an army of ninjas, all I could think about was having his back. Just like he had mine, even if I didn’t want it, expect it or even appreciate it.” He took a deep breath. He remembered the all those times Red had been a thorn in his side, only to show up when he least expected it, and when he most needed it. The basement with the Irish, the boat... 

 

“I heard rumors. From Harlem and Hell’s Kitchen, that Daredevil wasn’t working alone. That he had been seen with people I hear are capable of tearing through an army single handedly.” Again his words sounded like there was a threat somewhere in them. “So how is it that he was the _only_ one who didn’t make it out of that building?”

 

“Frank-,” Karen started, but the Punisher’s anger would not be placated. 

 

“The NYPD had previous knowledge of the bombs in the building, apparently taken out of evidence.” And how he knew that last piece of information Karen didn’t want to know. “Which means they probably set the explosives there themselves.” He paused. “Now, I wanna know how everyone gets out of a thirty story deep hole, sets off the C4, and just so happen to leave someone behind.”

 

“It’s not their fault.” She whispered. 

 

Frank took another deep breath, now standing in front of the journalist. “Karen.” He said, voice calmer than before, but the fire was clear in his eyes. “What happened?” Though the words were a question, and the tone softened for her sake, she knew exactly was this was. 

 

A debrief. 

 

* * *

 

 

Karen sat nursing a cup of tea. Frank had left over an hour ago and still she thought about the conversation they’d had. She’d told him everything she knew, but warned him that even if she’d been in the middle of everything, there were many things she still didn’t understand. She talked and talked, and he’d listened, never once interrupting. After that they’d sat in silence, Frank with his eyes closed as if mulling over something, Karen expectant, waiting for his judgement. 

 

He’d simply thanked her and stood up.

 

“What are you going to do?” 

 

“I’m paying some people a visit.”

 

“Frank, I told you it’s not their fault! You can’t just go and-,” Karen had risen half in alarm half in exasperation. 

 

“I’m just going to talk to them Karen. Half a little faith in me.” He’d said and left through the window he’d undoubtedly come in before she could continue.  

 

Since then she’d been tempted to call everyone, warning them that the Punisher had business with them. But the truth was, she was _angry_. Frank had hinted he blamed them for Matt, and if she were being honest with herself, so did she. 

 

Part of her, a big part, felt they deserved the scare that was coming their way.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Let me tell you a story. The moment the ending of the series was starting to become clear this idea came into my mind, and I had it all planned out. As I wrote this, the part where Frank confronts the others just... vanished. 
> 
> So, for now. I am listing this as a one shot. But if the bunny bites and I get my inspiration back I'll definitely post a second part. But zero promises.
> 
> Hit me with a couple of ideas. How would you like to see Frank confront Danny, Jessica and Luke? Thanks for reading =)


End file.
